SANTA CLARA COUNTY FIRESAFE COUNCIL PARTNERS WITH UNIVERSITY OF NEVADA, RENO ON ADVANCING WILDFIRE RESEARCH



Partnership will feature promoting research from faculty and Postdocs, collaboration on early wildfire technology adoption, and data collection within Santa Clara County to advance mutual initiatives.

Saratoga, CA, September 29, 2026 — Today, Santa Clara County FireSafe Council (SCCFSC) announces a new, and first of its kind partnership with leading research organizations, beginning with the Wildfire Science & Engineering Lab at the University of Nevada, Reno with the goal of advancing collaboration on wildfire research. The partnership provides SCCFSC with early access to wildfire research, a pool of guest presenters, the ability to help pilot test and ground-truth technological innovations from the Wildfire Science & Engineering Lab, and collaboration on grants.

Working closely with Hamed Ebrahimian, Ph.D., P.E., Associate Professor and Director of Wildfire Science & Engineering Lab at the University of Nevada, Reno, the partnership will share resources to advance mutual interests, collaborate on grants and research initiatives, and provide Hamed’s faculty and students the opportunity to share early stage and published research critical to advancement of wildfire risk mitigation.

According to Seth Schalet, CEO of the Santa Clara County FireSafe Council, “Innovation, lab to field optimization of research and the ability to share and promote the initiatives of both organizations will advance wildfire preparedness for the Santa Clara County FireSafe Council constituents. I have known Hamed for several years, followed his work, and we have often communicated around various aspects related to wildfire science. This partnership formalizes our relationship in a unique way that enables Santa Clara County FireSafe Council to avail of the Wildfire Science & Engineering Lab’s work, faculty research, support joint grant applications and develop the ability to gain access to early technology programs to help ground-truth and scale those initiatives in ways beneficial to our constituents.”

“This partnership creates a unique opportunity to bridge cutting-edge wildfire research with real-world needs. By working closely with the Santa Clara County FireSafe Council, we can co-develop and test emerging technologies, establish meaningful case studies and test beds, and broadly disseminate research outcomes—accelerating the translation of scientific advances into practical solutions for wildfire resilience” said Hamed Ebrahimian, Ph.D., P.E., Associate Professor and Director of Wildfire Science & Engineering Lab at the University of Nevada, Reno. 

About University of Nevada, Reno – Wildfire Science & Engineering Lab

The Wildfire Science & Engineering Lab at UNR is a multidisciplinary research center focused on innovative, science-based solutions for wildfire prevention, emergency response, and post-fire recovery.

Mission and Vision

The lab’s mission is to bridge the gap between research and real-world operations by developing practical, technology-driven solutions for wildfire stakeholders. Its vision is to be a national leader in wildfire research and technology, integrating science, innovation, and workforce development to help communities coexist safely with wildfires www.wildfirehub.org.

Core Research Areas

The lab’s work spans the wildfire lifecycle:

• Pre-fire: Probabilistic wildfire risk assessment and mitigation design.
• Active fire: Wildfire monitoring and prediction, computational modeling, and realtime decision support.
• Post-fire: Ecosystem recovery and restoration.

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About Santa Clara County FireSafe Council

As a 501(c)(3) nonprofit with a 20-year history, SCCFSC’s core mission is to mobilize the people of Santa Clara County to protect their homes, communities, and environment from wildfires. A trusted partner across the government, fire service, corporate and WUI residential communities, SCCFSC has led some of the most complex hazardous fuel reduction projects in the region. With a board of directors and advisory board that has deep expertise across the wildfire ecosystem — including wildfire and environmental research, academia, emergency management, regional planning, technology solutions and wildland firefighting leadership — SCCFSC is uniquely positioned to lead cross-sector collaborations and partnerships in Silicon Valley, Santa Clara County and beyond. For more information, visit https://sccfiresafe.org/.

Media Contacts:

SCCFSC: Seth Schalet sschalet@sccfiresafe.org

UNR: Hamed Ebrahimian hebrahimian@unr.edu